Pre A1 Starters flashcards
Pre A1 Starters · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Listening paper length
- About 20 minutes. It has four parts, and every recording is heard twice, with one final playing of all the recordings at the end of the paper.
- Listening Part 1 task
- A large picture with seven named people or objects. The candidate draws a line from each name to the correct thing in the picture. One item is done as an example.
- Listening Part 2 task
- A short conversation followed by questions with three pictured options each. The candidate writes or ticks the letter of the correct picture for each question.
- Listening Part 3 task
- A picture with seven labelled items. The candidate writes a name or a number in the box beside each item. Names are spelled aloud on the recording.
- Listening Part 4 task
- Five short dialogues, each followed by one question with three pictured options. The candidate ticks the box next to the correct picture.
- Spelling of names
- In Listening Part 3 the names are always spelled letter by letter on the recording. The candidate should write the letters heard, not a guessed spelling.
- High-frequency listening answers
- Numbers up to 20, colours, days of the week, family words, and classroom objects appear most often as answers in the Listening paper.
- No negative marking
- A blank answer and a wrong answer score the same. Leaving an item empty never helps, so every item should receive some response.
- Reading and Writing length
- About 20 minutes. The paper has five parts, and Part 1 contains the most items, so it is worth a large share of the marks.
- Reading Part 1 task
- Five short sentences, each with a picture. The candidate ticks yes if the sentence describes the picture and no if it does not.
- Reading Part 2 task
- A short text with five gaps and a box of words. The candidate writes the correct word in each gap. One word in the box is not used.
- Reading Part 3 task
- A short story with five gaps. Each gap has three pictured word options, and the candidate writes the letter of the correct option.
- Reading Part 4 task
- A short text with five gaps and no word bank. The candidate writes one word per gap, chosen from the meaning of the sentence.
- Reading Part 5 task
- Three short texts such as a note, a message, and a sign. Each is followed by one or two questions, answered with one or two words.
- Spelling tolerance
- Handwriting must be readable, but small spelling errors are accepted when the intended word is clear. Answers are marked on meaning.
- Present simple of be
- Use am, is, and are to describe people and things, for example 'She is happy' or 'They are in the garden'. This is a core structure at this level.
- have got for possession
- Use have got and has got for what someone owns or for family, for example 'I have got a bike' and 'He has got two sisters'.
- can for ability
- Use can plus a base verb to say what someone is able to do, for example 'I can swim' or 'She can ride a horse'.
- there is and there are
- Use there is with one thing and there are with more than one, for example 'There is a cat on the bed' and 'There are two books'.
- Prepositions of place
- In, on, under, next to, behind, and in front of describe where something is. They are tested in Reading and used in Speaking Part 3.
- Speaking test length
- About 3 to 5 minutes. It is a one-to-one interview with an examiner and is recorded so that the marking can be checked later.
- Speaking Part 1 content
- Greetings and simple personal information: the candidate's name, age, and one or two familiar topics such as school, family, or favourite colour.
- Speaking Part 2 object cards
- The examiner says a word and the candidate points to the matching card. Then the examiner points to cards and the candidate names them.
- Speaking Part 3 scene picture
- A large picture is used. The examiner asks where things are, and the candidate answers with a preposition plus a noun, for example 'under the chair'.
- Speaking Part 4 personal questions
- The examiner asks personal questions such as 'What's your favourite fruit?' or 'How many brothers have you got?'. One-word answers are acceptable.
- Speaking marking criteria
- Three criteria are scored: vocabulary, grammar and structures, and pronunciation. Fluency and accent are not scored as separate criteria at this level.
- Answering the question
- A very short answer can earn credit if it answers the question. An answer that does not address the question earns nothing for that item.
- Pointing tasks
- In Speaking Part 2 the candidate shows understanding by pointing at the correct card. No speaking is required for the pointing stage.
- Naming tasks
- In Speaking Part 2 the examiner points at cards and the candidate says the word. Single words such as 'apple' or 'bicycle' are full answers here.
- Talking about a picture
- In Speaking Part 3 the candidate describes where things are in a scene. Answers combine a preposition of place with a noun, such as 'on the table'.
- Talking about yourself
- In Speaking Part 4 the candidate answers questions about their own life: age, family, school, pets, and favourite things.
- Examiner's role
- The examiner gives clear, simple instructions and questions at a slow pace. The candidate is not expected to ask questions or start topics.